Agency Navigators™ (AgencyCFO™)
Explore every episode of Agency Navigators™
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jan 2025 | S3E1: The OG Fractional CFO | 00:16:24 | |
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7b4S1SNFM9A Surprise! We’re back with a special mini season of the Agency Navigators Podcast by AgencyCFO™! In this episode of Season 3, let’s start by taking a trip back in time to learn the backstory of the original “OG” Insurance Agency Fractional CFO. AgencyCFO™ officially launched in 2018, and the business that launched the program was founded in 2013 by married partners, Don and Roe Polczynski. 7 years later, we’re still working with agencies across the country and have no plans to slow down! We’re proud of the team we’ve built in the last 7 years, yet it was a decade of prior experiences that turned a concept into a program, a business, and now an industry-wide service. Tune in to episode 1 to learn why a Fraction CFO is important to your agency and one of the most valuable services you can invest in. Next episode will drop early next week! Stay tuned for “The Looming Change”. Connect with us! | |||
| 15 Jan 2025 | S3E2: The Looming Change | 00:13:50 | |
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyJO_sj5HXY As CFO’s, our job is to remove your blind spots and guide you through navigating the changes that lie ahead and make strategic, proactive decisions. Listen to this episode to stay ahead of the curve and prepare your business for success in a rapidly evolving world! Connect with us! | |||
| 24 Jan 2025 | S3E3: Agency Experience With Mark Rodgers | 00:22:14 | |
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK2Io5s-AHM Roe and Don traveled over the river, through the SNOW and just shy of 2,000 miles to host Mark Rodgers of Trailstone Insurance on this episode of the Agency Navigators podcast! Curious about the custom client experience at AgencyCFO? This episode highlights the day-to-day (and long-term) benefits of having a Custom Fractional CFO, the blind spots we highlight and eliminate, and the vast collaboration possibilities. Catch this episode for a client perspective of who we are at AgencyCFO, what we do, and the value we can add to your agency! Season 3 will conclude next week with a look at Industry Influence. Stay tuned!
Connect with us! Meet us: www.agencycfo.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/theagencycfo Facebook: www.facebook.com/AgencyCFO | |||
| 29 Jan 2025 | S3E4 - Agency Influence With Austin Moorehead | 00:17:26 | |
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aYjhEFptPjg On this episode of the Agency Navigators podcast, Roe and Don spotlight the power of ‘find a way to say ‘yes!’’ As a fellow resource to independent insurance agencies, Austin Morehead of LAVA Automation also understands never-ending entrepreneurial needs and the loneliness that comes with agency ownership. Join Roe, Don, and Austin as they talk about their strengths, weaknesses, and the opportunities made possible with discipline (& a little tough love) from the AgencyCFO Team. This episode concludes Season 3 of the Agency Navigators podcast. See you soon!
Connect with us! Meet us: www.agencycfo.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/theagencycfo Facebook: www.facebook.com/AgencyCFO | |||
| 12 Mar 2025 | S4E1: Managing the Most Valuable Asset | 00:20:02 | |
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aqqRT5Dti3I Join us as we kick off Season 4 of the Agency Navigators podcast talking about every agency’smost valuable asset, and the common misconceptions and mistakes made when managing it. Intangible? Yes. Immensely Important? Also, yes. While we can appreciate agencies considering their employees to be their most valuable asset, it simply is not the case. When Don identified “Data Chaos” as a common theme and major barrier to Book of Business integrity, he and Roe knew they needed to add a data expert to the AgencyCFO team. Cue Adam Bushey, our Business Intelligence Analyst/Advisor! In his first year, Adam worked with Don, Roe and the rest of the team to maximize Book of Business success for our partner agencies.
Connect with us! Meet us: www.agencycfo.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/theagencycfo Facebook: www.facebook.com/AgencyCFO | |||
| 26 Mar 2025 | S4E2: Agency Acquisitions | 00:30:31 | |
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3hT0uM-4pZ0 This episode of the Agency Navigators podcast focuses on what Day 2 really looks like after acquiring an agency. Roe and Don are joined by Chip and Ted Gibson, the CEO and President, of Deland Gibson Insurance. As the agency who has been with AgencyCFO™ the longest, there’s so much that has been learned together along the way! Chip and Ted have been integral to Deland Gibson’s seven acquisitions completed over the last four years. Success in the process has come with time and experience; after countless hours of research, process development, and even a few misses early on they have refined their process. The human element of success cannot be understated, and that is echoed by Chip and Ted’s reflections (and shoutout to AgencyCFO™!). #AgencyNavigators #Podcast #Acquisitions #InsuranceIndustry #BusinessGrowth #AgencyCFO #SuccessStory Connect with us! Meet us: www.agencycfo.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/theagencycfo Facebook: www.facebook.com/AgencyCFO | |||
| 02 Apr 2020 | 1: The Financial Impacts of COVID-19 for Insurance Agencies | 00:22:12 | |
On today's episode we answer the hot question on every agency owner’s mind, “How is the COVID-19 pandemic going to impact my agency financially?” | |||
| 09 Apr 2020 | 2: HOW & WHY Agencies Should Conserve Cash During COVID-19 | 00:20:47 | |
On today's episode we explain the difference of having cash in the bank and truly having USABLE, working capital. During this pandemic agencies should know their net cash position and build a reserve based on the agency's working capital. We've also come up with FIVE STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING AMPLE WORKING CAPITAL, because you never know when you'll need it! | |||
| 23 Apr 2020 | 3: Maximize Your PPP Loan Forgiveness | 00:19:14 | |
If you were one of the lucky agencies to receive money through a PPP loan, it’s time to think about how you’re going to spend the money. On this episode, #TheAgencyCFO shares his tips on how to maximize your loan forgiveness amount. For questions, email #TheAgencyCFO: donp@rdadvisorygroup.com | |||
| 30 Apr 2020 | 4: Capture the Opportunity During COVID-19 | 00:21:04 | |
There’s no going backwards after social distancing ends. Life has changed and we’ve had to adapt in our own ways. Yet, think about what actually kept us connected during these uncertain times. The real question is: how do we create a better, new normal once it’s all over? Have we really learned anything from this experience? There’s a major learning opportunity to debrief from the experience and help us move forward when “normal” life returns. | |||
| 08 May 2020 | 5: An Attitude of Gratitude | 00:10:42 | |
On this episode, #TheAgencyNavigators cover the power of Gratitude. It’s easy to focus on the negative, but what’s the POSITIVE of working in the insurance industry? It’s our choice to be grateful for what we have and what we can offer or, we can give in to the tides of negativity.
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| 05 Jun 2020 | 6: Falling into a Career in Insurance | 00:13:21 | |
If you work in the insurance industry, do you remember how or why you started? | |||
| 11 Jun 2020 | 7: PPP Flexibility Act (NEW Legislation Update) | 00:12:34 | |
Yes, *ANOTHER* PPP update. Another month, another set of changes! This month brings modifications to the original PPP legislation. We’re here this week to bring you clarity (as much as we can anyways) on the legislation changes. As always, this is subject to change due to the Small Business Administration (SBA) still reworking the forgiveness details. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more updates. | |||
| 02 Jul 2020 | 8: Scale for the Agency You Want, Not the Agency You Have | 00:16:02 | |
Is your agency under 2.5 million in revenue AND in growth mode? If so, have you asked yourself the 2.5 million-dollar question: “Does my agency scale AND how FAR does it scale to?” Most often the #AgencyNavigators hear agency owners say, “What got me here will get me where I want to go." Although they’ve grown the agency, 10%+ of growth year after year is not possible without changing to a Mid-Agency Mindset. As the #AgencyCFO says, the biggest difference in agency size is actually NOT the expense structure, but rather where revenue is derived. Growth doesn’t mean more policies; it means purposeful change that scales your agency forward. So, is it time to change your mindset? | |||
| 06 Aug 2020 | 9: The Foundation vs. The Silver Bullet | 00:10:46 | |
🗣 CALLING ALL AGENCY OWNERS WITH SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME! Do you sometimes change for the sake of change? Do you come back from conferences excited, with 20+ ideas ready to share and implement with your team? Are you always looking for the next silver bullet to solve your agency’s problems? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this message is for you! In this episode, #AgencyNavigators share key financial and organizational fundamentals that any agency can tackle, RIGHT NOW. Just because you can’t travel to conferences for ideas doesn’t mean you can’t work inside your four walls and on your agency's foundation. | |||
| 02 Sep 2020 | 10: Your Agency is Not a Bank, Separate Your Finances | 00:15:23 | |
It’s the gray area that no one really talks about… complete separation of personal and agency finances. Agency owners, we get it. It’s your agency and your money, so why are we even talking about this topic? As the agency owner, it’s your responsibility to promote sound business decision making and running the agency as cleanly as possible – just as you expect your team to.
…and these are only some of the reasons why clarity and complete separation are important. Listen in for tips on HOW to shift to complete separation. | |||
| 15 Oct 2020 | 11: The Lead Domino | 00:12:05 | |
As a kid, did you ever line up your dominoes and let them fall? Ironically, as adults we can actually BENEFIT from playing with dominoes the same way as we did as children. On this episode, the Agency Navigators share insight on the book “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. The trick is to treat our strategic projects, big tasks, etc. as dominoes. In a world where we glorify multitasking, it may be time to prioritize and focus on simply…. ONE THING! So, what’s your lead domino? | |||
| 17 Nov 2020 | 12: Agency Owners, Are You Getting Paid Enough? | 00:12:15 | |
We’ve talked about why you should separate your personal and agency finances, but we’ve never talked about how much or exactly HOW to actually pay yourself. On this episode, the Agency Navigators discuss the magic formula on calculating the right compensation for owners based on agency size and impacts to agency finances. Like most decisions, there are items to consider before moving into action. There’s no “normal” to benchmark against, so let’s talk about one of the grayest areas of independent insurance agency management. | |||
| 29 Dec 2020 | 13: The Growth Predictor | Sales Velocity | 00:09:41 | |
We’ve heard a common focus for insurance agencies in 2021, GROWTH. Before setting growth targets, the #AgencyCFO recommends measuring your team’s SALES VELOCITY. This metric is one of the best predictors for future earned growth. In this episode: The Agency Navigators not only teach you how to calculate your sales velocity (%), but also how to use it for measuring your team’s current and future performance. It is one, easy to calculate metric that can scale from agency to agency. | |||
| 19 Jan 2021 | 14: Three ACTIONABLE Growth Tips for 2021 | 00:15:58 | |
The #AgencyNavigators welcome their first guest: RD Advisory Group’s Growth Advisor, Cayla Carrillo. Cayla is kicking the year off with THREE TIPS for GROWTH in 2021. Yes, three, easy ACTIONABLE tips. Growth is more than a statement or mindset, it requires action. Questions? Want to hear more from Cayla? Connect with us! | |||
| 16 Sep 2021 | S2E1: Keep Your Eye on the RESULTS | 00:12:00 | |
Agency Owners and Principals– this episode is for you. Information out there to help you run your agency is endless and right at your fingertips! As a business owner there is always something shiny, new, or “innovative”, with the hope to solve your agency’s problems. Your AgencyCFO™ team is telling you to focus on the bottom-line results. Tune-in to hear the “Big 5” metrics that will make a difference in the results of your agency! Questions? Email: rdagteam@rdadvisorygroup.com. Connect with us! | |||
| 16 Sep 2021 | S2E2: Your Burnout is Hurting Your Team | 00:14:36 | |
We get it. You’re a driven agency owner and the agency’s success is on your back. You’re probably tired and often go through periods of being completely burnout. When is the last time you took a step back and reflected on your role in the agency? That’s right. Burnout CAN be fixed and avoided. It starts with re-aligning your Highest and Best Use in the agency. Connect with us! | |||
| 15 Sep 2021 | Welcome to Season 2! | 00:01:10 | |
We’re back! As always, we hope to serve you well! - The AgencyCFO™ team | |||
| 05 Oct 2021 | S2E3: Ensuring the Success of Young Insurance Talent | 00:18:20 | |
You’ve thought about or have actually made the investment in hiring young talent, now what? Do you have a development plan for success or is the plan to wing it – they’ll understand eventually, right? Wrong. Potential for success starts BEFORE they even join the team. Especially young sales talent. Join Roe, Don, and Cayla this episode for tips on getting the ROI on your new hire. Connect with us! | |||
| 15 Oct 2021 | S2E4: Bringing Out the Best in Your Agency | 00:16:59 | |
Since 1993 Reagan & Big “I” have conducted the “Best Practices Study.” Year over year they have provided valuable insight into the performance of agencies across the country, ranging from under $1.25M to over $25M. The 2021 Best Practices Study has been released and Don, The AgencyCFO President is giddy! This one study can put your agency ahead of the curve and prepare you for a strong 2022. Listen in to this episode to learn exactly how from the expert himself, Don. For the 2021 Reagan & Big “I” Best Practices Study: https://reaganconsulting.com/research/best-practices/ Connect with us! | |||